Pope Francis appeals for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Question 3

Tuver Wundi / RTNC (Goma): My concern turns to human rights. When Félix Basse said that the demonstrations must be done according to the respect of the laws in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and that the human rights say that there is abusive use in the repression. Is there not a kind of contradiction, when the state services repress those who go outside the laws that you seem to support?

Director of the United Nations Joint Office on Human Rights [Jose Maria Aranaz]: Yes, I talked about the excessive use of force, I gave the figures of those who were shot dead. The deployment of war material has been repeatedly condemned in the control of demonstrations and the authorities were urged urgently to use only non-lethal demonstration control equipment.

The looting and destruction of property should not be confused with the rights of freedom of expression, association or peaceful demonstration.

[We were] also concerned at the large number of arbitrary arrests, targeted before the demonstrations, by members of the civil society, opponents and opposition leaders. And also of those who are perceived as being of the opposition. There was a disturbing number of people who had been arrested because of the color of shirts they wore. As I said, I think the contradiction and the debate between security and fundamental rights and freedoms is a false discussion.

We can respect both, and there are many countries that do. It is the obligation of the authorities to guarantee security on the one hand, which is not incompatible with fundamental rights and freedoms.

MONUSCO [Félix Prosper Basse] spokesman: You will allow me just to bounce back on what Mr. Jose Maria Aranaz said. There is no contradiction on what we have said.

Remember that Mr. Maman Sambo Sidikou himself, once again, called for restraint and calm, but also for the responsibility of the Congolese defense and security forces because, as we have said, Manifestations are enshrined in the Constitution; They should also take place peacefully. It is in this that the responsibility of all is summoned here, so that we can see in a very global way what really happened.

Indeed, we can simply say that it is a balance that must be sought between the control of the crowds, the control of demonstrations, but that must be done with non-lethal weapons. It is in this that the condemnation is much stronger because the death of men is because the disproportionate use of force has been effectively implemented, and that is deplorable, That is what we condemn. That is also why we are calling on the Congolese defense and security forces.

In fact, I am going to bounce back on that, because I think that even the Prime Minister, at his press conference, once again challenged state agents in their intrinsic responsibilities, but all this is in the The preservation of human life and the preservation of the lives of Congolese citizens.